This is not a complicated diet. It is based on the national cuisine of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean area.
This diet is an ideal example of balanced nutrition, in which vegetable proteins are the main source of nutrients. The basis of this low-calorie diet is fruits, vegetables and bread, usually in the form of wholemeal noodles.

What is the difference between cuisine and the Mediterranean diet

Mediterranean diet and Mediterranean cuisine are slightly different concepts. The first is a program that is based on healthy eating and is very popular in the Mediterranean climate. It is usually used in order to lose weight, although this can be considered a side effect.
However, compared to regular Mediterranean cuisine, it has more dietary dishes. And yet, the diet together with the Mediterranean cuisine are considered healthy.
In the menu of the Mediterranean diet, there are many more vegetables and fruits, from fats only olive oil is used in minimal quantities.

Which foods are allowed for the Mediterranean diet

The products allowed for daily consumption are:

  1. Fruits and vegetables;
  2. Bread (wholemeal flour);
  3. Pasta and cereals;
  4. Potato;
  5. Beans, nuts and seeds;
  6. Spices and vegetables;
  7. Olive oil;
  8. Fish and seafood.

Foods you can eat 1-7 times a week:

  1. Poultry meat;
  2. Oua;
  3. Cheese;
  4. Sour cream;
  5. Yogurt.

Of course, only dairy products with the lowest fat content should be considered. The goal is to lose weight, not gain weight.
When it comes to drinks, it is always better to drink plain water. In the standard version, 2 liters per day, and if it is summer and very hot, then you can drink even more water. You can also drink tea, sugar-free coffee and red wine (in small quantities and if you wish).

Prohibited foods for this diet :

  1. Bacon and bacon;
  2. Sausages;
  3. Carbonated beverages;
  4. Processed foods, such as skim milk and refined grains.

Principles of the Mediterranean diet

  1. Vegetable foods should prevail, including whole grains, fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, and vegetables.
  2. Red meat should be limited to the maximum. Just poultry and fish fillets are enough to get the protein you need.
  3. All fats should be replaced with olive oil. Cook the meat on the grill and in the oven.
  4. The dishes should not contain much salt. Salt can be replaced with spices, condiments and herbs. The cheeses have enough salt.
  5. The wine can be consumed for lunch and dinner but in small doses.

Mediterranean diet: the daily menu

It is extremely important to establish a concrete diet. For this we present a standard menu for the Mediterranean diet per day.

Day 1:

  1. We start breakfast with porridge and yogurt with berries.
  2. For lunch – cauliflower soup, fruit and fish salad.
  3. We have dinner with a piece of bread, cheese and vegetable salad.

Day 2:

  1. For breakfast, drink yogurt with cereals and berries.
  2. Enjoy lemon soup with lentils and hot sandwiches with soft and red cheese for lunch.
  3. At dinner you can prepare fish in sour cream with different spices.

Day 3:

  1. For breakfast there will be omelette with tomatoes and basil.
  2. For lunch there will be two dishes: lasagna with vegetables and vegetable soup with green beans.
  3. For dinner, make a shrimp salad and season with olive oil.

Day 4:

  1. Breakfast with yogurt and nuts.
  2. At lunch fish soup, baked potatoes with tomatoes.
  3. You can have dinner with a salad of vegetables, eggs, lemon juice and olive oil.

Day 5:

  1. Oatmeal for breakfast.
  2. For lunch, spinach soup with mashed potatoes with sour cream or Greek yogurt, as well as boiled salmon with brown rice.
  3. It’s probably Friday, because everyone starts on Monday, so you can invite friends over for a pizza with cheese and tomato and olive fillings, but the crust should be wholemeal flour.

Day 6:

  1. Breakfast consists of simple food: eggs with greens.
  2. At lunch cabbage soup and steak with any meat.
  3. For dinner, choose eggplant with feta and a sandwich with cheese.

Day 7:

  1. For breakfast – yogurt with berries.
  2. At lunch, minestrone and put garlic in the oven with baked potatoes.
  3. Dinner consists of fried brown rice with vegetables and seafood.

In any variant of the diet it is important to remember that salads, which are very numerous in Mediterranean cuisine, are never seasoned with mayonnaise. Even if they are cooked at home. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice are used. All this can be mixed with spices that can fully reveal their taste and aroma.

Snacks are also allowed

in this diet there are no 6 meals, as in many other diets, but all three meals are complete. So snacks for this diet are not welcome.

People often ask if the menu in the Mediterranean diet allows snacks. Yes, but only once a day and only one product.

The options for snacks are: a glass of kefir with low fat or milk content, a glass of natural yogurt, a fruit (grapefruit, orange, apple, plum), a handful of nuts (almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts).

Recipes for the Mediterranean diet

You will definitely like this diet. The food is so diverse that weight loss will only become an interesting experience and you will want to continue your diet for the rest of your life.
This is possible because in these products there is everything the body needs and in sufficient quantities. For the Mediterranean diet we can offer you the following examples of dishes:

Salads and sauces for them

  1. Cucumber roll with any kind of red fish is perfect for holidays and other occasions. These are usually made with feta cheese and dill with garlic.
  2. The most popular Greek salad is prepared with olives, olive oil, diced feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and spices.
  3. Avocado salad plus tone. Avocado has almost no pronounced taste. Natural spices should be as many as possible. And you can also add some pine nuts.
  4. Tzatziki classic. It is mostly served with meat and pita. To this must be added cucumbers, garlic and yogurt.

Supe

  1. Mashed potato soup with cauliflower, olives and butter, nutmeg, garlic and white pepper. It is also very important to add cheese to taste.
  2. Beans, based on beans, olives and many, many different greens.
  3. Gazpacho is tomato soup, usually served cold and always prepared with Tabasco sauce.
  4. Cream soup with spinach and shrimp, topped with rosemary and garlic. This dish can be prepared in chicken broth. You can also try a lighter version with vegetables.
  5. Preferably white fish soup with white wine, hot peppers and, most importantly, canned tomatoes.

Desserts

  1. Almond peaches can be made so that the almonds are placed inwards, for this you need to cut a hole in the peach, or the peach is divided into two parts, and instead of the seeds are placed almonds. After that, the ingredients are baked.
  2. Apricot pudding is more popular in Southern Europe, but is ideal for all the rules of the Mediterranean diet.
  3. Cheesecake with cottage cheese, Greek yogurt instead of cream, fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and biscuits.

The key to success

The success of the Mediterranean diet lies in the strict distribution of food in small portions, so you should not rely on radical weight loss, but on progressive weight loss.
We must strive to reduce daily meals and food intake, gradually moving to a healthier diet without foods high in calories and carbohydrates.

The Mediterranean diet includes many opinions, but according to research, it helps to rejuvenate and improve the body, improve skin elasticity, improve eyesight, reduce blood cholesterol levels and keep the cardiovascular system in perfect condition.
In addition, its observance is much easier and more pleasant.

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